Switch fob telephone-lines



c. w. WATKINS.

SWITCH FOR TELEPHONE LINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2|. 1920.

E 1,383,355. en d July 5, 1921.

2 SHEETS SH'EET l.

M I...- L- 1 4a 1M 5 .451. i

C. W. WATKINS.

SWITCH FOR TELEPHONE LINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I, I920- I 1,3 3,355, Patented July 5,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- II" It INSULATNJN STATES PATENT OFFICE.

owns WALTER WATKINS, or DORRANCE'I'ON, PENNSYLVANIA.

swrrorr ron TELEPHONE-LINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. WATKINB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dorranceton, in the county of Luzerne and State'of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches'for Telephone-Lines, of which thefollowing is aspecification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in switches for telephone lines. H An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character by meanspofwhich a telephone is normally connected with a previously selected line or series of lines but which may be operated by the elbow or foot of the person using the telephone to disconnect the same from such line of private conversation and which, upon release, automatically returns to the normal' Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent throughout the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings wherein forthepurpose of illustration is shown a preferred'embodiment of my invention and wherein like reference characters, designate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a'plan view of an automatic switch constructed in accordance with my invention, the cover being sectioned for the purpose of illustration. I

Fi 2 is a side.elevation of myautomatic switc Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken therethrough, and a Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing'the mounting of the switch bar.

Fig. '5 is an enlarged sectional detail view,

taken at rightangles to that of Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 21, 1920. Serial No. 405,063.

Patented July 5, 1921.

through the bar showing the mounting of the contacts thereon, and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the bar showthis mounting. a

in dteferring now more particularly to the drawingsthe numeral 10 indicates the base preferably formed of insulating material such as porcelain, vulcanite or the like and provided with openings 11 adapted for the reception of attaching means whereby it may be attached to the floor, stand, or desk. The base is provlded upon its upper surface adjacent one endthereof with a pair of arouate contacts 12 connected in any suitable manner with binding posts 13 which are preferably arranged upon the sides of the porcelain base. t the opposite end thebase is provided upon its surface with a series of.

arcuate contacts 14 and 15 arranged in pairs,

these contacts being provided with binding posts 16 suitably arranged. To the binding post 13 may be connected a home circuit, to the binding posts of the contacts 14 a main circuit and to the binding posts of the remaining pairs of contacts may be connected other telephonic circuits. As hereinbefore stated, the contacts 12, 14V and 15 are arcuate and these contacts have as their center a point arranged centrally of the base 10, at

which point the base is provided with a externally threaded bushing 18. V This bushing has bore 19 arranged centrally thereof. A pivot member 20 is provided having downwardly extending circular portion 21 which extends through the bore 19' of the bushing 18, a washer 22 being preferably disposed intermediate the pivot member 20 and the upper face of the bushing 18; The lower end of the extension 21 extends below the lower end of the bushing 18 a short distance and is provided with a stop plate 23 of larger 'threadedopening 17 adapted to receive an diameter of thebore 19 secured to the extension by means of a screw 23" or the like.

A tilting bar 24 is provided having a slot 25 formed therein which receives the pivot member 20 and is held in assembled relation thereto by means of a pivotpin 26 extending through the member 20 and the bar 24 at the side of the slot. It will be seen that the bar is pivoted upon the member 20-for vertical oscillation and as the member 20 is capable of rotation within the bushing 18 the bar 24 is therefore capable of limited universal movement. This bar is so shaped that when one end thereof is brought down to contact the base 10 the other end thereof is elevated.

Means for normally holding one end of the bar depressed are provided. By means of screws 27 a spring 28 has one end secured to the pivot member 20 and the other end resiliently engaging the other end of the bar to force the same downwardly. This end of the bar is provided adjacent its outer end upon. the upper side thereof with a counterweight 29 likewise urging this end of the bar downwardly. It will thus be seen that the bar will normally oscillate horizontally in contact with the contacts 14 and 15 or with the insulated spaces 30 there between side movement of the bar being limited by stops 31 to prevent any over running movement thereof.

Extending horizontally at each side of the bar 24 are wires 32, one wire being dis posed at each side of the bar and each wire being connected with a slack wire 33, which wires 33 are in turn connected with the terminals of a telephone. Contacts 34 are secured to the ends of the bar upon opposite sides thereof and connected with the wires, 33. These contacts 34 comprise a vertical portion 35 adapted to engage the side faces of the bar and provided with openings adapted for the reception of means whereby they may be secured to the bar. The lower end of the vertical portion 35 terminates in horizontal portion 36 underlying the bar and terminating approximately centrally thereof, said horizontal portion having at its termination a down turned vertical portion 37 adapted to contact with its lower end the contacts 12, 14, or 15, as the case may be. As the end of the bar corresponding to the contacts 14 and 15 is normally depressed by the spring 28 and counterweight 29 it will be seen that the contacts borne by this end of the bar are normally engaged with the base contacts 14 or 15.

The end of the bar remote from that hearing the counterweight is reduced as at 38 and beyond such reduced portion is provided with an enlargement 39 forming an operating arm or rest. This operating arm is adapted to receive a counterweight 4O thereon of suflicient size to overbalance the combined resistence of the counterweight 29 and spring 28. This counterweight may be either placed upon the upper surface of the enlarged portion 39 as indicated by the dotted lines or may be secured thereto in any desired manner.

A cover plate 41 is provided adapted to engage and reduce portion 42 of the base and entirely cover the mechanism thereof with the exception of the enlarged portion 39 of the bar 34. In order that the cover may be placed in position. it is providedwithavertical slot 43 communicatingwithahorizontal slot 44. When the cover is placed in position the slot 43 permits the passage therethrough of the reduced portion 38 of the bar and the bar may be swung horizontally in the slot 44. Extending upwardly at spaced intervals corresponding to the spacing of the contacts 14 and 15 are vertical extensions of the slot 44 also of suflicient size to receive the reduced portion 38. It will be obvious that when the reduced portion is entirely in one of the slots 45 the opposite end of the bar will be alined with the corresponding contacts and will by virtue of the spring 2 8 and counterweight 29 be brought into engagement therewith. lVhen, however, the extension is arranged below one of the projections 46 formed by the vertical extension'of the groove 44 the contacts of the adjacent end of the bar will be in engagement with the base contacts 12. If desired, the projections 46 may be removed and the action of the bar governed entirely by the hand, foot, or elbow and by the counterweight 40.

It will be obvious that by employing my construction a single desk phone may be so arranged that the party in charge thereof may readily connect his phone with either the home circuit, the choice of branch circuits or with the main circuit. rissuming the phones throughout a home system to be equipped with switches of this description, it will readily be seen that the use of a central exchange may be dispensed with and that all phones may be selectably engaged with either of a plurality of circuits at the will of the operator. If it is desired to continously connect the phone for a given period with a given circuit if the circuit is disposed at the end of the bar bearing the counterweight the bar need simply be shifted to bring the contacts thereof into engagement with the base contacts of the desired circuit. f at the opposite end of the bar this connection may readily be secured by simply placing upon the enlarged portion 39 the counterweight 40. It will be understood that the phone maybe readily connected with any other system of the party line and that when the conversation is ended and the bar released it automatically returns to connect the main circuit. Many otherarrangements of a similar character suggest themselves to those familiar with the art each being made possible by the presence of automatic return of the switch to connect a predetermined line in circuit with the switch circuit.

It will be obvious that my device, by reason of its simplicity, ease of its manufacture and adaptability and efiiciency is particularly adapted for use and it will likewise be obvious that my device is capable of some changes without departing from the spirit of my invention. I accordingly do not limit myself to the specific construction except as so limited by the subjoined claims. Having now described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a switch of the type described an insulating base, a bar pivotally connected intermediate its ends with the base to swing in either a vertical or horizontal plane, pairs of contacts carried by said base upon opposite sides of said pivot points and pairs of contacts carried by the ends of said bar adapted to: selectively engage the pairs of contacts on said vbase and a pair of conductors carried by said bar and'connecting corresponding pairs of contacts carried thereby.

2. In a switch of the type described an insulating base, a bar pivotally connected intermedlate its ends with the base to swing in either a vertical orhorizontal plane, pairs of contacts carried by said base uponoppositesides of said pivot points and palrs of contacts carried by the ends of said bar adapted to selectively engage the pairs of contacts of said base, a pair of conductors carried by said bar and connecting correponding pairs of contacts carried thereby, means for normally holding one end of said bar depressed. and an operating handle formed upon the opposite end of the bar whereby said end may be depressed.

3. In a switch of the type described an insulating base, a bar' pivotally connected intermediate its ends with thebase to swing in either a, vertical or horizontal plane, pairs of contacts carried by saidbase upon opposite sides of said pivot points and pairs of contacts carried by the ends of said bar adapted to selectively engage the pairs of contacts of said base, a pair of conductors carried by said bar and connecting corresponding pairs of contacts carried thereby,

means for normally holding one end of said a bar depressed and an operatin a pair of conductors extending longitudinally of said bar, pairs of contacts carried by said bar at each end thereof and electrically connected with said conductors, the contacts of said bar at either end thereof being adapted to engage the coacting contacts' of the base when the corresponding end of the bar is depressed and the contacts at the opposite end of the bar freed from engagement with their corresponding base contacts, and means for normally holding one end of said bar depressed. V

5. In a switch of the class described, a horizontal base portion, a vertically disposed member rotatably mounted in said base portion approximately centrally thereof, a bar ivotally connected to said member to oscillate in a vertical lane, one end of said bar being elevated a ove said base when the other end thereof is in contact therewith, a plurality of spaced pairs of contacts carried by said base and arranged upon opposite sides of the pivot point of said member, a pair of contacts carried by each endof said bar and adapted to coact with the corresponding contacts of said base and conductors connecting the corresponding contacts of the pairs carried by said bar.

'6. In a switch of the class described, a horizontal base portion, a vertically disposed member rotatably mounted in said base portion approximately centrally thereof, a bar pivotally connected to said member to oscillate in a vertical plane, one end of said bar being elevated above said base when the other end thereof is in contact therewith, a plurality of spaced pairs of contacts carried by said base and arranged upon opposite sides of the pivot point of said member,a pair of contacts carried by each end of-said bar and adapted to coact with the corresponding contacts of said base,

conductors connecting the corresponding contacts of the pairs carried by said bar, a cover for said bar and base, and means for normally holding one end of said bar depressed, said cover having a slot formed therein, said bar being provided upon the normally elevated end thereof with a portion extending through the slot of said cover and adapted for engagement by the operator. r i

7 In a switch of the type described, a bar supported intermediate its ends for universal movement contacts carried by each end of the bar, contacts disposed beneath each end of the bar with which the contacts of the bar are adapted to selectively engage when the corresponding end thereof is depressed, the contacts at each end of the bar being disconnected with their coacting contacts when the contacts at the other end of thebar are connected with their coacting contacts, an operating member whereby one end of the bar may be depressed to cause the contacts thereof to engage their coacting contacts and means for automatically depressing the opposite end of the bar to bring the contacts thereof into engagement with their coacting contacts when the operating member is released.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CHARLES WALTER WATKINS. 

